Dust Off – the compressed air used to clean computer equipment – can be deadly if used as an inhalant. Dust Off abuse is most common among young people aged 9 to 15 – kids this age want to experiment with substances, but have a hard time getting alcohol or street drugs. Neither is Dust Off abuse limited to Dust Off – there are a number of household products that kids might inhale or “huff” to get high, including gasoline, propane, air freshener, and hair spray. Kids might even huff the propellant out of cans of whipped cream.

Dust Off abuse can cause heart, liver, kidney and brain damage. It can be deadly. You can die from just one instance of Dust Off abuse – 22 percent of people who died from Dust Off abuse never abused inhalants before.

Abusing inhalants can cause a deadly heart attack even in a young and otherwise healthy person. Dust Off abuse may cause suffocation because the gas that causes the “high” is heavier than oxygen – it can stay in the lungs, causing the person to pass out and suffocate. Allergic reactions to inhalant abuse, which cause the throat to swell closed, can also cause death. A person abusing Dust Off might also experience vomiting and, if unconscious, runs the risk of choking to death.

Dust Off and other products are easy for kids to get and it’s impractical to stop selling them, because there are so many types of potential inhalants available. Talk to your kids about “huffing” and the dangers of Dust Off and other inhalants. Make sure your kids know that the thrill of Dust Off abuse isn’t worth the risk of death from even one use.

If you think someone you love is abusing Dust Off or other inhalants or may be addicted to inhalants, the time to get help is now, before it’s too late. Call us today to learn more about our addiction treatment programs and how we can help your loved one stop abusing inhalants. Our number is 1-888-699-5679.